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1231
In 1680 Parallel Time, Brutus sets a curse on Collinwood. Synopsis Teaser : Collinwood: The mysterious locked room in the abandoned west wing has brought death or madness to all who have entered it. Morgan Collins has survived the night in the room, but has been possessed by the spirit of a man who died in 1680, the year the curse began. On this night, an attempt was made to exorcise the spirit of James Forsythe from the body of Morgan Collins. The attempt failed, but the family is soon to be faced with a revelation they never expected. Morgan, still possessed by James, agrees to tell Julia everything that happened in 1680. Act I Morgan tells Julia he first met Brutus in 1677, when Constance introduced the two. They became fast friends and business partners, but Brutus spent most of his time alone, despite being married and having children. In a flashback to 1680, Brutus is in the drawing room at an undecorated Collinwood, reading over a ledger. Constance arrives, and informs Brutus that James has come to see him. Brutus hides his ledger and greets James, but he is in no mood for pleasantries and accuses him of stealing money from him. Brutus pretends to be appalled by his accusations, but James has none of it and wants to end their partnership. Amanda, Brutus’ wife, walks in just as James is leaving. Brutus declares that James is leaving the house for the last time, because the Collins-Forsythe Trading Company is being disbanded. After James is gone, Brutus taunts her, knowing that Amanda is sad over the fact she may not see James again. Amanda decides to leave to “get some air,” and Brutus orders Constance to follow her. Act II Amanda goes to the cottage, where she and James kiss passionately. She asks him what is going in between he and Brutus; James knows that Brutus is embezzling money, but has no way to prove it. As Constance eavesdrops outside, Amanda suggests he go to the secret records room, which is a hidden room behind Brutus’ bedroom in the West Wing of Collinwood. James declares his intentions to go there tonight, but Amanda warns him to be very careful, as Brutus is always on alert. The two declare their love for each other, and James promises that once he exposes Brutus, they will leave Collinsport together and never return. Later, Constance returns to Collinwood and informs Brutus that James and Amanda are planning to destroy him. Act III In the middle of the night, James sneaks into Collinwood and heads to the West Wing, unaware that Brutus is following him. James enters Brutus’ bedroom and finds the hidden door behind the bed. He enters the hallway behind the door, which leads to the records room. Once there, James quickly finds a ledger, detailing all of the money that Brutus has stolen from him. Brutus arrives, catching James going through the ledgers. James says he's going to the police, and begins collecting all of the ledgers as he taunts Brutus. While James has his back turned, Brutus knocks him out. Act IV Brutus places James’ unconscious body on a table in the records room. Using his knowledge of the occult, Brutus informs James he is going to kill him, but he won’t be able to rest. Instead, James’ spirit will be “troubled” through all eternity. Brutus then injects James with a poisonous substance using a syringe. The next morning, Amanda is waiting at the cottage for James, but he has not shown up as he said he would. Realizing something bad must have happened, she rushes to Collinwood, where Constance greets her. Amanda dodges Constance’s questions and heads upstairs. Amanda sneaks into the records room and finds James, now dead. She tearfully hugs him, but is immediately caught by Brutus. After taunting her over her relationship with James, Brutus strangles her to death and places her body on another table next to James. Brutus declares the two lovers will now be together forever, but like James, Amanda’s spirit will never be able to rest. Constance sneaks into Brutus’ bedroom and catches Brutus exiting the records room. She asks what is inside, but Brutus warns her to mind her own business. Confused, she decides to go find Amanda, but Brutus tells her that Amanda has left Collinwood with James. Constance realizes that Brutus is lying, because she just saw Amanda, and wonders what is going on. Brutus warns her to go to her room, but Constance pushes past him and enters the records room, where she finds James and Amanda’s dead bodies. Constance returns to Brutus and turns on him; she picks up a knife and attempts to kill him, but he easily gains the upper hand and stabs her to death. As Constance’s lifeless body falls onto the bed, Brutus raises his arms and sets the curse upon the family. Returning to 1841, the ghost of Brutus appears and tells James it’s time for him to go back to his tomb. Morgan then collapses, and Brutus warns Julia the truth will not help her and the curse will continue. Memorable quotes : James: I want what is coming to me. : Brutus: Have no fear, James, you will get what is coming to you in due time. ---- : Brutus: An ordinary death would not be good enough for you. Oh, I want you dead, but I don't want you to rest, James. I want your spirit to be troubled through all eternity. ---- : Brutus: I am here, Amanda, in the interests of poetic justice. Dramatis personae * Louis Edmonds as Brutus Collins * Nancy Barrett as Amanda Collins * Grayson Hall as Julia Collins / Constance Collins * Keith Prentice as Morgan Collins / James Forsythe Background information and notes Production * 1680 is the earliest time period the series will explore. * First appearance of character Brutus Collins as a living being in his own right. This was the eighth and final role played by actor Louis Edmonds in the original series. The character had previously appeared as a ghost, and will continue to do so, since 1225. * First appearance of character Amanda Collins. This was the seventh role played by actress Nancy Barrett in the original series. * First appearance of character James Forsythe as a living being in his own right in a flashback to 1680 PT. This was the second role played by actor Keith Prentice in the original series. The character had been possessing Morgan Collins since 1222. * This is the only appearance of Constance Collins, and is the sixth role played by actress Grayson Hall in the original series. * Final time an episode is narrated by Louis Edmonds. * Closing credits scene: Landing in the Collinwood foyer. Story * Brutus mentions his grown-up sons whom he considers to be weak. Amanda is likely to be Brutus' second wife, as she doesn't look old enough to have grown up sons, as there is clearly a significant age gap between herself and Brutus. When this episode was recorded, Nancy Barrett was aged 27 and Louis Edmonds was aged 47. * Unlike the Collinwood of the main time-band, which was built in the year 1795, the Collinwood of Parallel Time was inhabited as early as 1680, some 105 years before their counterparts in the main time-band, who didn't even leave England for the New World until 1690. * James first met Brutus in the year 1677. * During scene set in the year 1680, the Collins-Forsythe Trading Company is mentioned. * GHOSTWATCH: Brutus' ghost appears to Julia and Morgan and releases James' spirit possessing Morgan. * FLASHBACK : James recalls how the family curse began in the year 1680. * TIMELINE: 1680: James and Amanda plan to leave in the morning at 9am. 2:20am: James sneaks into Collinwood. Past 9am: Amanda searches for James. Bloopers and continuity errors * James states that Brutus has "embezzled hundreds and thousands of dollars". In Colonial Massachusetts of the real world 1680, modern-day Maine was carved out of Massachusetts in 1820, the most common currencies in use would have been denominated in pounds, shillings and pence. But, as he was in the shipping business, it's possible that James was referring to Spanish dollars, a.k.a. "pieces of eight", which were sometimes used in that era. * Brutus injects James with a hypodermic syringe. In the real world, although attempts had been made earlier to inject substances into the skin, a syringe such as the one Brutus used was not invented until the 1850s. External Links The Dark Shadows Daybook - Episode 1231Category:Dark Shadows episodes